Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil has pushed through pre-release backlash to collect an estimated $108.3 million globally in its opening weekend. The horror-comedy hybrid now stands as the strongest launch in the long-running Capcom franchise’s live-action history.
The new film brought in $60 million domestically and $48.3 million internationally. Those totals sit well above even healthier pre-release projections, which had most tracking a $40 million to $50 million domestic start for Resident Evil. The gap between those forecasts and the actual weekend result immediately framed the movie as a commercial rebound for the series.
Austin Abrams stars as an original character named Bryan who is thrust into the darkest pits of a suffering Raccoon City. The opening also marks Cregger’s biggest theatrical debut yet, after Barbarian earned $10 million in its first weekend and last year’s Weapons pulled in a still-impressive $70 million. The ensemble also features appearances from Zach Cherry of Severance, Kali Reis of True Detective: Night Country, and Paul Walter Hauser of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.
Sony, Cregger, and the Resident Evil brand benefited from a story inspired by survival horror gameplay rather than the earlier Milla Jovovich films, which typically strayed from the elements that define the games. The 2021 entry Welcome to Raccoon City packed in video game references but did not land as an effective homage. That left room for a new approach built around the tension, scarcity, and close-quarters dread that made the Capcom series famous.
It has still been an uphill battle for the director’s latest outing. Early trailers left some viewers struggling with an adaptation that largely sets aside familiar icons such as Leon S. Kennedy and the T-Virus. Other footage raised questions about a more modern setting and a snowy version of Raccoon City, choices that marked a clear break from a straight game recreation.
Those creative liberties also included a story centered on an ordinary courier instead of established franchise heroes. Cregger’s previous horror hits helped carry the project into theaters even as the first marketing images drew mixed reactions. The weekend numbers now give that gamble a much stronger financial argument.
After its first weekend in theaters, Resident Evil has firmly defied those expectations. Adding to its list of record-breaking stats, the new Resident Evil movie has surpassed Sonic the Hedgehog 3 to become the highest-rated video game movie of all-time, at least as far as Rotten Tomatoes is concerned.
Sony spent approximately $75 million to make Resident Evil, Variety reported. Marketing costs remain unclear, but the opening weekend already looks like a strong start for the franchise’s return to theaters. The first three days have already recovered a large share of the reported production budget before overseas markets still waiting to open can add more.
